


Love is in the Air

by Anonymous



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: AU: Acrobats, Aerial Performance, Charles is so in Love, Disabled Character, Erik is Crushing Harder than a 12-year Old Girl, German Language during explicit szenes, Happy Ending, M/M, a lot of fluff, a very happy story with a happy ending, and a bitt Smut too, and even more fluff, that's so not me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-05-24 03:36:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6140341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik is a great fan of Aerial Performances. One day he sees a Show of Xcelent Charles - the best performance he'd ever seen and wants to meet Charles in person. They meet and there is more than one problem Erik has to learn to deal with. </p><p>Drama Drama with a lot romantic in it - and smut. ;) I tried to write as true as possible about Charles' 'problem'. (Everything about it is taken from articles in the Internet, because I don't know someone with this disability. If I described something wrong, please feel free to let me know.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Xmen_Ongoing](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Xmen_Ongoing) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Charles is an established and talented aerial performer. His performances caught the eye of Erik (YouTube videos or actual performances) and Erik becomes a huge fan and follows his performances or videos.  
> Some event (Charles is an aerial arts instructor and Erik is curious to learn) allows Erik to meet Charles in person. Imagine Erik's surprise that the graceful and talented Charles is wheelchair bound.

Erik had always been a fan of aerial performances. Since he was a little boy he has always went to the circus, when it was in town. And when he was older he also drove to other countries to see his favorite shows.

So when he walked the cold November streets of Berlin and saw another poster for the Circus FlicFlac - the third one this day - he decided to buy a ticket for the show next month. Winter was always the best time for circuses. A lot of people went there as Christmas presents. So it wouldn’t be wrong to buy the ticket by an early time to get one of the best seats.

He was lucky - there were still some tickets left so he bought one for the last show - best seat. When he read the brochure he saw a name he wasn’t familiar with. Xcelent Charles - was the stage name of the young man. Well - he wouldn’t be that bad when he performed at FlicFlac, so Erik looked forward to the show.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

December came. Erik drove with the convertible top of his read cabriolet shut. It wasn’t because of the cold, but because it had started snowing this evening. When he arrived at the circus a lot of people were already in and waited for the show to begin. He showed his ticket at the opening and went inside the big tent.

It was warm inside, thankfully and the air was filled with chatter and quiet music. He took his seat in the first row and placed his jacket on his knees. When the lights went out the people cheered and the show began.

The performances were great and Erik enjoyed them very much. Since he had a look in the brochure one month ago he forgot about the new performer, but remembered the moment when he entered the stage from the top of the dome.

Charles was a very young guy with shoulder-long brown hair and a wicked grin on his face. Erik loved him by first sight and knew that the performance would be great. And he wasn’t false. When the performance was done the crowd gave standing ovation and even Eric stood up. He’d never seen such a good piece of aerial art.

Before Charles came down Erik’s phone buzzed. He sighed irritated and went fast out of the tent to hear what it was and to not disturb the other guests and the show.

“Hey, Erik”, Emma’s voice rang on the other end. “Sorry to interrupt your evening. I’ve got a little problem here at work. Would it be possible for you to pass by? You would be great help.”

He sighed but agreed. The show was nearly finished anyway and he’d already saw the greatest performance of the evening - it couldn’t get better. An old adage came in his mind with that: One should go when it's at its best. So he went to his car and drove his way to the factory.

It was a little factory which produced special parts for expensive cars. All the workers were specialists in their profession and therefore they came from all over the world. Erik worked there as an engineer, one of the only original German workers here. Emma invented a method to prepare the metal parts with diamonds. She came from America and started her work at their factory some months ago. She was great at her job but when it came to problems she wasn’t so good in handling the situation. So Erik told her that she could call anytime when she needed help and he wasn’t at the same shift.

He wasn’t angry that she had interrupted him in his free time today. He was just a little sad because he had hoped to catch this new performer Charles after the show and chat a bit with him about aerial performances. He never learned to do them by himself - his family always wanted him to work at the factory which his father had built up, too. And Erik also had never thought of himself capable of doing such things. So it always stuck to watch others and learning about the theory.

When he finally arrived at the factory the problem had already been solved. “Sorry for bothering you”, Emma excused herself. “I just freaked out when the alarm rang.” It had turned out that the alarm was only false. A rat had passed a control-line and triggered the alarm for an error.

“No problem”, he eased her. “The show was nearly over anyway.”

“Oh, you went to another of these acrobatic shows?”, she asked.

“Yes, circus FlicFlac. It was really nice. Too bad it was the last show for this year, so I won’t have a chance to talk to the performers.”

Emma knew about Erik’s curiosity about the acrobats and smiled at her colleague and friend. “What’s the internet for?”, she asked therefore. “I’m sure a lot of these acrobats have their own pages.”

Erik looked astonished. He never thought about writing to them. “No bad idea.”

They chatted for a little while until Erik asked Emma if she was ok now and he could go home. She told him she wasn’t a little girl - she would manage and thanked him again for coming in.

He left and drove home. It was late when he finally got there and he decided to look Charles up in the internet tomorrow. But the next day started busy. There was another alarm - this time not just caused by a rat and so he totally forgot about his search.

This was until nearly half a year past.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Charles came back to Erik’s mind, when Erik saw a YouTube-video of the artist. He remembered the show from last winter and how amazed he was by the young man. So he started to search the internet for him.

Of course he found him under his stage name Xcelent Charles and after watching more videos of his performances he wrote a message to him to tell him how great he thought his art was.

 

_Dear Charles,_   
_I saw you on last year’s tour of circus FlicFlac through Germany and now looked up some videos of you in the internet. I have to say you’re a very great performer in aerial acrobatics. I’ve seen a lot of performers and you’re really one of the finest. It would be fantastic if you would like to discuss a bit about aerial arts with me - I’m a big fan of it and would love to talk to someone who’s such a professional at it like you._

_Best Regards,_   
_Erik Lehnsherr_

 

Normally Erik wasn’t doing such things - he didn’t like stalking people but it was different with Charles. He wanted to talk to this guy and to get to know more about him. On the photos he found he could see his face better. Always a wicked grin, Charles had beautiful blue eyes and rosy lips. It seemed he wore his hair a bit shorter now - not bad at all.

After all his research Erik checked his mail-account one last time to find an immediate answer from Charles.

 

_Dear Erik,_   
_Thank you so much for the praise. It’s the first time someone wants to chat with me about_   
_my work and I’m honored about that. What do you wanna know about aerial arts?_   
_Have a nice day!_

_Warm Regards_   
_Charles_

 

Erik smiled at the replay. So he wasn’t disgusted or anything. He wrote an answer about diverse things of aerial performances and in the next weeks they wrote nearly every day about their passion and after some time also about their everyday lives. Erik got to know that Charles lived in London and had a little sister who worked as a contortionist at another circus. Erik was a bit older than Charles, but it didn’t seem to bother the young man.

Finally, when Erik asked him if he would have another tour through Germany Charles had to say he wouldn’t. He had started in an acrobat-school for teens and couldn’t spend so much time for traveling with the circus anymore. Erik was very sad about that and told Charles so. He really had begun to like this man and wanted to see him again. So he was more than happy, when another message from Charles reached him:

 

_Hey Erik,_   
_I’m so sorry. I would really like to see you, too. But my school won’t allow me to leave_   
_London. What about you? Couldn’t you visit me during holidays? I’d love to meet you in_   
_person and maybe I could show you some basics. I know you told me you’re not sure if you could do, but I’m sure you can. Even I could manage it._

_Just tell me, when you can get some free time. You don’t need a hotel - you can stay at mine, if you like._

_Love_   
_Charles_

 

When Erik read the lines he was a bit overwhelmed by them. Of course he had started to dote a bit for Charles. Emma giggled about him every day, when he grinned to himself during work. But stay at Charles’ during a trip and he showing him basics - that was more he ever allowed himself to dream about. And what did Charles even mean with ‘Even he could do it’? Or did he just want to be polite, like it was typical for English people and Erik interpreted too much into the kind words?

He reached in an ask for holidays the next day at work and was happy that his boss was ok with it. He could go for two weeks in September. Erik booked a hotel anyway - it was very nice of Charles to offer him his own apartment, but they didn’t really know each other, so Erik thought this would be better. Anyway he also wanted to do a little sightseeing and shopping and he didn’t know exactly where Charles lived in London. Maybe it was too far from the center, so a hotel would work better.

When he managed everything for his trip he wrote another mail to Charles:

 

_Dear Charles,_   
_glad to tell you we’ll meet at least. I’ve booked my holidays for the first two weeks of_   
_September. I’m looking forward for it._

_Have a nice time!_

_Regards_   
_Erik_

 

He still didn’t write ‘Love’ instead of ‘Regards’. He knew it was common to do so in England but he wasn’t English and therefore interpreted too much into the word ‘Love’. He shook his head before pressing enter. ‘Regards’ was fine.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally meet.

The plane arrived on time. It rained as expected and Erik hid his nose in his scarf to escape the cool wind. The tube took him to his hotel and he was happy when he could rest himself on the bed finally. He hated planes and he was thankful for the short time the flight just took. He would meet Charles tomorrow so it wasn’t very surprising that it took him nearly two hours to fall asleep. 

The next day Erik took the DLR to the address Charles gave him. After a little search he found the right street and he was surprised when he finally saw the entrance of the acrobat-school. It was much bigger than he had expected. 

When he entered he could see some teens doing their sport on the ground or high up hanging from the ceiling. A young woman stood on the side and watched over them. 

She turned when she noticed Erik. “Hi”, she greeted. “I’m Raven, welcome to our school. How may I help you?” Erik took the hand she offered to him. “Hello, my name’s Erik and-“ 

Before he could finish Raven cut his words. “Erik! Nice to meet you at least!” She threw her arms around him and gave them a tight hug. When Erik looked a bit overstrained she let go of him. “Oh, sorry. It’s just that I was even more excited than James to meet you. He wouldn’t talk about anything different than you the past month.” “He told about me…?” 

“Yeah, like a little girl. He really thinks high of you.” As something important was coming to her mind she clapped her hand to her forehead. “Right! You wanna meat him. Sorry.” With a big smile she turned and waved to him to follow her. “He’s in the office doing the paperwork. I’ll lead you there.” 

When they arrived at the office Erik was a bit nervous at least. “Don’t be shy - go in”, Raven grinned and turned to go back to her class. 

It took him another moment to bring his heartbeat back to normal before he was able to knock. Erik couldn’t understand his own reaction. Sure he had been a bit nervous to finally meat Charles in person, but he never thought that he would be THAT nervous. He didn’t even understand why. They were just two guys with the same interest. Just an artist and his fan. Right, now he thought like one of this fangirls… 

He could hear a voice from inside telling him he could enter. Erik gulped hard and entered. The room was a bit messy with a lot of paperwork all over the desk, but it was very nice with all the pictures on the walls, showing happy teens with their prizes in hand. 

“Hey”, Erik greeted, when he finally met the eyes of Charles. “Erik”, the other man cheered and put out his hands like one would do for a hug. Thing was he wasn’t standing up from behind the desk. Erik was irritated but went across the room and he froze. 

Charles sat in a wheelchair. 

He must have noticed Erik’s frown. “Are you all right?” But he reasoned it out soon. “Oh”, was all he said. They had never talked about Charles problem. He never thought it necessary. Most people knew from his shows. Not the one in the internet, but the live ones. When all the acrobats came together at the end of a show for the final the people would see, but now he remembered that Erik had never seen the final of the show where he first saw him. 

The scene was a bit awkward so he tried to brighten it up. “So, give us a hug”, he smiled and rounded the desk with his wheelchair. Erik, still a bit overwhelmed, hugged Charles back. 

When they parted he stared at Charles, fear in his eyes. “You… When did this… You didn’t tell…”  
“When I was eight”, Charles simply said. “What?” Erik clearly seemed to not understand anything. Charles sighed. “Why don’t you first have a seat?” He obeyed and sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk. 

“Everything’s fine, Erik. Have you never seen a picture at the net? I was sure there would be some… Never mind! I was eight when I fell and lost most feeling in my legs. I trained hard to walk but never could make it up to. And then I saw an aerial artist at the circus. And I trained. If I wasn’t supposed to walk anymore I would fly - that was my plan. And look where I’m now.” He grinned happily at the room. “I’ve got an own acrobat school together with my sister and have fans from all over the world.” - Clearly meaning Erik. 

Erik was still a bit frown, but it seemed he started to understand. “So you were always… But you can do such beautiful performances anyway…” “Just training, as I said. And as I also said: Everyone can make it - even I could.” 

Now everything made sense. The sentence in the mail, why Erik should try aerial performances, too. 

“Wow”, was all he managed to say. That only increased his respect for Charles. 

After another minute of silence Charles spoke again. “So how was the flight? Everything fine?” “Yeah, yeah, great.” Erik was still a bit ineloquent. “Ok, then”, Charles didn’t like to talk about his disability. “What about I’ll show you the school and then we’ll have a little lunch? There’s a nice restaurant just two streets away.” 

“That’ll be great”, Erik smiled. He smiled for the first time since he arrived. It was all a bit too much to process, but his brain started to work over the subject now. That Charles was disabled didn’t mean, that he couldn’t do everything a not disabled person could do. He had seen that himself. Charles couldn’t just do the same - he could do even better as most not disabled people. 

Charles showed him the school and Erik was surprised how big it was and how many kids could learn their stuff here. There were also some disabled ones. Some who were in the wheelchair like Charles and some who had other problems. But Charles told him that they did great. Especially the ones who had to train the most, where the best ones. 

When they walked to the restaurant Erik excused his help, but Charles refused it. “I always had to deal with that problem by myself. I can handle this.” And he did. Erik was surprised how easy it seemed for Charles to maneuver his wheelchair through small passages and up and down higher road curbs. 

They had a nice day and talked a lot. About the school, about Erik’s work, about everything that came to mind. 

When the evening came Erik had to say goodbye. The last DLR wouldn’t wait and they wanted to meet again tomorrow. “Don’t forget your sportswear”, Charles warned him. “I won’t”, Erik grinned and gave the two of them another hug. 

It took longer than the one this morning and Erik had the chance to inhale Charles scent. He smelled of green apples - maybe his shampoo - and he could smell his perfume - Cool Water - and underneath he smelled just Charles. A good smell he thought. “See you tomorrow.” Erik beckoned and left. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in his hotel room he lay down on the sheets and thought the day through. He had been so shocked when he had seen Charles in the wheelchair. And then he had been shown that disability didn’t mean one was dependent on someone’s help. 

They had laughed a lot. Erik loved Charles laugh. It was easy and not too loud, but always true. He liked his Scottish accent and most of all he liked his eyes. So blue like the sky on a bright summer day. 

He sighed happily and wanted to get up and have a shower. That was when he pulled his shirt off and that wonderful smell hit his nose again. He stilled and inhaled deeply. All Charles… And suddenly something happened. Something that begun in his head and ended up in his dick after streaking his heart. Erik let himself flop onto the bed again. He smelled at his shirt over and over. God… what was it about this guy? 

He imagined one of Charles performances - one he had watched far too many times - and took in his scent. After some moments he felt his groin aching in his trousers. He opened his fly and fumbled his cock out. He was already half hard and it just took some strokes until he was hard as stone. 

He spat a bit saliva in his hand and begun to rub. Slow and steady strokes. He imagined Charles, his blue blue eyes, his massy hair, his pink lips… His pink lips around his own cock. The strokes went a bit hastier, rougher. It didn’t take long and he came, Charles’ name on his lips. 

When he lay there, tired and happily, he shook his head about himself. Had he just ejaculated onto the thought of his friend? That was ridiculous. Or was it not? Emma had joked on him all the time. Could she be right at all? Had he really fallen for this guy? 

Doesn’t matter, he told himself and finally went to the shower.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training! <3

The whole night and even the complete morning Erik’s thoughts danced just around the topic Charles. He couldn’t help himself with it - this man simply overtook the power over his mind. 

And Erik didn’t even like men that much. He was always more into girls, just had some one-night-stands with guys through his live, never something serious. His last girlfriend had left him over a year ago and there hadn’t been someone else since then. Erik wondered about Charles likes, now that he wondered about his own. Was he into men or women or both, like Erik? They had never talked about this topic at all Erik realized in this moment. Maybe he should ask Charles today. But maybe it was impolite? And maybe he would think wrong about Erik? He sighed. He had never been so unsure about something or someone before. 

He packed his things for today’s training. He was a bit nervous, but not just because of his first aerial performance training but more because of meeting Charles again. After last night’s events he felt a bit ashamed to look him in the eye again. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was all forgotten when he arrived at Charles’ school. It was still early and so no kids were here yet. Erik looked for Charles in his office but he wasn’t there. He walked around the rooms and finally found him in one of the smaller but high training rooms for the aerial acrobats. 

“Ah, good morning Erik”, Charles grinned, when he saw his friend standing in the door. He himself wore black leggings and a loose yellow shirt and was taking knots out of the bands which hung from the ceiling. 

“Good morning”, Erik greeted back while crossing the room. He gave them a little hug before asking: “Do you need help or should I get dressed?” He was excited like a little child - it could clearly be heard in his voice. 

“No, I’m fine thanks. I do this every morning so don’t worry. The dressing room’s over there.” He pointed in the right direction. Erik nodded and left to put his sportswear on. 

For a short moment Charles eyes lingered on the open door to the dressing room. He just could go inside. And just by accident it would be in exact the moment when Erik was undressed. But no. Who was he? A thirteen-year-old boy who’d fallen in love? He didn’t even know if Erik was into guys! 

When Erik had left yesterday evening it had took him some time before he could make it home. He’d sat in his office, door closed and thought about the day. He liked Erik very much and maybe, just maybe had a little crush on him. Raven had said so the whole time - even before yesterday but he never believed her. Now he did. 

He had fantasied Erik in more than just a friendly way when he finally had laid in his bed yesterday. 

Charles cleared his throat and concentrated on the knots again. He finished right in the moment Erik came out from the dressing room. He wore some loose grey trousers and a tight fitting white shirt with some silly cartoons on it. He looked perfect. 

Charles tried to hide his blushing by turning away and pressing the button so the bands would go up to the ceiling. 

“So”, he started when he turned back. “Let’s get started. First of all you have to warm up a bit. Stretch your legs and especially your arms - you’ll need them.” 

Erik did all the warming up - he wasn’t unsporting at all so it wasn’t too hard for him. “What sports do you do back home”, Charles asked him finally. “Mainly running”, Erik answered stretching his right arm again before he finished. “What now?” Charles chuckled. Erik was pure enthusiasm. 

“Now we can get started.” He rolled under the bands and pulled himself up. It seemed that it wouldn’t cost him any strength. When he was up he wrapped the bands around his legs so he could hang just on them without using his hands. “Wow”, Erik grinned and clapped his hands once. Charles came back down. “So try this first.” 

Erik grabbed the bands and tried to pull himself up. It wasn’t so easy like it had looked when Charles did it. After some tries he got it and Charles commanded him to try other things. Step by step Erik learned some basics and when midday came he couldn’t do that bad at all. 

In the midday Raven and the children arrived for their training and Erik said goodbye. Of course Charles couldn’t spend the whole day teaching him. But they would meet tomorrow again. 

The rest of the day Erik walked through London and did some sightseeing - always with Charles in his mind. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What?”, Raven finally asked when Charles had grinned for the whole time he trained the kids. Now when also the teens had left she sat next to her brother. “What do you mean?”, Charles asked back innocently. 

“You grinned the whole day. What happened in the morning? Did you even train?” 

When Charles realized what his sister meant he laughed. “Nothing, Raven! Nothing happened - just training.” She pulled up an eyebrow - disbelieving. “Believe me”, he kept on laughing. 

Raven finally nodded and gave a little smile. “You really do like him, don’t you? I can’t even remember the last time I saw you that happy.” “Guess I do.” Chalres looked a bit dreamy, thinking about Erik. It was true. It had been a while since someone caught his attention like this. And Erik caught it in more than just one way. He was his first ‘real’ fan, he was a very nice person to talk to, he was so interested in learning about aerial performances and he was beautiful! Charles loved his messy hair, his eyes of which you couldn’t say what color they really had, his shark like grin. 

“Earth to Charles”, his sister brought him back from his dreaming. “Sorry, Raven.” “It’s ok”, she smiled. “I just told you I’m on my way now.” 

“Don’t forget to lock up the door, dreamer”, she joked when she finally left. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning couldn’t come soon enough and when Erik looked at his watch he was nearly half an hour too early, when he arrived at the school. 

Much to his surprise the sign at the door showed that it was open already. He entered and found Charles already practicing on the loop. As he watched silently there was just one thought on his mind: Perfect. 

Like a dolphin in the water Charles swung around and through the loop and did all possible other tricks. He finally let himself down with a fuse which allowed him to do so without help. 

Erik clapped when he came nearer. “That was awesome”, he greeted his friend. “Oh, hey”, Charles answered a bit surprised. He didn’t recognized someone came in during his practicing and so he went a little red by the unexpected comment. 

He sat himself back down into his wheelchair and disconnected the fuse. “But when I’m down all the magic’s gone.” It sounded a bit bitter and Erik could see the anger which gleamed in Charles eyes for a short moment. It made him feel sick. 

“That’s not true”, he protested, didn’t know what else to say to that. “It is, Erik. Look at me - I’m useless down here. And I realize that every time I come back down after training.” Erik was silent for a moment. “Is that why you quit traveling with the circus?” 

“What?” Charles was clearly confused by this but he seemed to understand what Erik meant. “You didn’t like it when the people cheered for you. Because they just cheered for you when you were doing your show.” Charles nodded, eyes fixed to the floor, when he explained: “It was cool in the beginning. Everyone treats you like shit when you’re disabled. Of course they all say they understand and they’ll help you. They don’t. When I started training for aerial performances no one believed in me, except my sister. But I didn’t give up. I wanted to show that I’m not useless. And I became good. Very good. And the people loved my performances. But seeing their faces when they realized that I’m disabled - it was never easy. Of course they had respect for me. But when I turned away they started to talk. ‘This poor guy.’ Etc etc. You know what I mean. And when people talk like this the respect changes into compassion and you feel like shit again. And after a while you’re just ‘the guy in the wheelchair’ and they just like your show and not you. They seem to care, but they don’t.” 

Charles looked up into Erik’s eyes, unsure and he was surprised when he could see a hint of tears in them. What did he do? “I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to…” 

“No”, Erik said, sounding a bit cold. He wiped away the tears quickly. “No, you don’t have to be sorry. I’m just…” He was looking for the right words. How could people be so rude?! They all just saw the show and the performance but no one saw the person behind it. “…I’m angry with these people”, he finally spat out. “They don’t even deserve to see your performances, when they can’t see how perfect you are. Always! You manage your whole life without any help. You run an artist school and you’re so perfect and they just don’t see it!” 

“Erik…” Charles was stunned. Erik thought he was ‘perfect’? Now Erik seemed to recognize what he just said and he blushed hard. “I mean, I… you…” What? What did he want to say? He inhaled very deeply before he fixed his eyes on Charles. Fuck it, he thought. He already messed up the situation. So there were only two possibilities: It could get better or it could stay as bad as it was. 

He crossed the two meters which parted them and without any other thought about it he grabbed Charles cheek and pressed his lips on Charles’. 

Charles frowned, totally surprised and overwhelmed by the sudden feeling of Erik’s lips on his. In the very first moment he wanted to draw away. Because what did Erik even want to tell him with that? Was he just giving him compassion like all the others? But Erik’s hand holding his cheek was so gentle and his lips were so warm and Charles was just so in love. 

He finally melted into the kiss and when Erik felt that he pressed his lips a bit harder into his. Charles gasped and parted his lips. He grabbed Erik’s hair when he started to lick into his mouth. Erik tasted of fresh orange juice and toothpaste and just of Erik and Charles loved it. 

After some moments of kissing and gasping into each other’s mouths they parted, gulping for air. 

“Since when”, was all Charles could get out. “I think since I first saw you”, Erik smiled. He felt so light. Charles didn’t push him back. He had even pulled him closer! It had been a risk, but now that it turned out that Charles seemed to like him too, Erik started to grin like a happy shark. 

Charles needed a moment to process the information. So Erik liked him since he saw him for the first time? And that meant he didn’t knew of his disability. And he also didn’t pity him when he got to know about his problem two days ago. And now he’d gotten angry about the people who treated him bad and Charles simply couldn’t believe it. 

He shook his head slowly, but was smiling too. “I didn’t know you like men, too”, he finally said. “I don’t only like men”, Erik said, running his fingers through his hair nervously. “That’s totally ok for me”, Charles answered, maybe a bit too quickly, but they both grinned. 

“You still wanna train?”, Charles finally asked. “Erm”, Erik rubbed the back of his neck. “I would prefer to train something else.” He smiled like a little schoolboy and Charles couldn’t do anything but chuckle. “Then what do you think of going to my office?” 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they were finally in the room Charles rolled to the big fluffy sofa and started to maneuver himself onto it. Erik closed the door and when he saw that it was difficult for Charles he wanted to help him. But before he did so his mind said no. Charles wouldn’t like that. He was glad that Erik didn’t pity him like everybody else and so he shouldn’t start now, even if he really just wanted to be kind. So he waited patiently until Charles sat on the sofa before he rolled the wheelchair a little bit aside so he wasn’t in full sight for them. He thought that’ll be better. Then he sat himself next to Charles. Before said one could say anything Erik grabbed his face again and started to kiss him. 

It started gentle, just lips and tiny licks into each other’s mouths, but it soon got hotter, filled with more need and lust. 

Charles groaned softly in Erik’s parted lips when hands started to wander. Erik’s long slim fingers were cool against Charles hot abdomen. He himself let his hands wander over Erik’s back and felt his muscles there, twitching when they shifted. 

“Wait”, Charles said, when Erik wanted to push him softly down. He stopped immediately and looked at Charles worried. “Too fast?”, he asked and his voice sounded a bit disappointed. 

“No”, Charles replied and smiled. His heart did a little jump on Erik’s anxious feelings of hurting him. Yes, it had been very long, since he’d felt like this for someone and someone could make him feel like this. “I just have to move my legs first, otherwise this position will get awkward.” 

Erik looked down at their legs and just then remembered Charles’ problem. And then another thought crossed his mind like a sword cutting in. Could Charles feel anything at all in his specific area? 

Charles noticed the uncertainty in Erik’s eyes and after he put his legs onto the couch he took Erik’s face in his hands and gave him a little sweet kiss. He knew this situation from the view relationships he had before and so he knew what went on in his friends mind. “I can still feel a bit”, he reminded him, when they parted. “Not as much as a not disabled person and it’s different, but I’m not completely paralyzed as you know. Otherwise I couldn’t do the sports I do, could I?” Erik seemed still unsure, opened his mouth to say something but closed it again when he couldn’t find the words. He never had to deal with such a problem before. He had women who could come just one way or another but he never had a relationship with someone who was paralyzed. “It can just take a bit longer until my nerves will send the feeling to my brain. And my orgasm could be a bit weird.” When he said the last sentence he blushed slightly. He had to learn this before. One of his partners had been scared so much by this, that he didn’t want to touch him again. That really had hurt and he just wanted to be clear before such a thing happened again. If Erik couldn’t handle this than it would be better if they stopped now. 

But Erik just said after a short moment: “Doesn’t matter” and closed the distance again, laying himself on top of Charles. Charles melted into the kiss again, happy that Erik didn’t care but still a bit unsure. 

Their fingers started wandering again and soon the shirts were removed. When Erik saw Charles pink nipples on his white chest he hungrily started to kiss them, hands stroking the sides of Charles body. He couldn’t help himself - Charles was so perfect, so beautiful. He kissed his way from Charles’ chest to his abdomen and finally his lips reached the band of his trousers. 

He put two fingers under the waistband and waited for Charles’ reaction. He had closed his eyes but opened them now that he felt or to be more exactly didn’t felt Erik’s lips and fingers any longer. When he saw Erik’s hand at his waistband he sighed. He was annoyed of himself. “I can’t feel that”, he told Erik, looking sad. 

When Erik saw Charles’ sad gaze his own erection which had built since the last minutes nearly faded. “Then what can I do? What do you like?” He really wanted to please Charles - he shouldn’t think that he just did this for his own fun. 

“The kissing is nice. I can feel everything, Erik - everything from head to abdomen. Underneath it’s very hard. You can try, but the muscles and nerves have to learn. But I can feel…” He stopped, looking unsure. Could he say what he wanted to? Erik said he wasn’t into guys completely and maybe this was still not ‘normal’ for him. 

“What?”, Erik asked. His gaze was so concentrated. He really wants to know, Charles thought and it made his heart jump again. “I can… feel you inside of me”, he finished, face completely blushed and it made his freckles looking more intense than Erik had ever seen them before. 

He blushed as well, but in the same time the sentence went straight down to his groin. He gasped, when he said: “You… you’re sure? I mean… I mean you wanna… but…” 

Erik couldn’t finish the sentence because right in this moment the door was opened without any warning knock. 

“Oh bloody hell!”, was all they could hear, before the door closed again and a choked laugh could be heard from outside. “Raven”, Charles sighed bugged out. 

They both grabbed their shirts from the floor and got dressed again. When Charles was back in his wheelchair Erik wanted to open the door. Before he could do so Charles took his hand. He turned back and looked down at Charles quizzically. He just pulled his friend down and pressed a light kiss fully onto his lips. “We’ll come back to this later”, he whispered and winked. “I’ll take you at your word”, Erik grinned his shark-grin and then they both got out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the first chapters - and there will be more. :) 
> 
> The Claim was anonymous - so dear anonymous: if you read the Story please let me know if you liked it. I think the idea is wonderful and I really enjoy writing the Story. 
> 
> Everyone else, too: Please let me know what you think about it or what wishes you have about the plot. :) 
> 
> See you in the next chapters!
> 
> And by the way: I’m sorry for this title - but I couldn’t resist. :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven can't pipe down and everything gets complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Sweeties!   
> Sorry it took me so long to post again...   
> Here we go with a new chapter. :)

They all sat together in a little diner in the evening. Raven grinned at the two of them. “Soooo - can I tell my friends my brother has a new boyfriend, then?” 

“Raven!”, Charles snapped and looked at her like he wished he could shut her with some power tape or anything. Erik just looked stunned. They had a nice day together. At least they did some real training and later he stayed to watch Charles train the kids. When Raven wanted them to go to a diner together he didn’t think of the topic she wanted to talk about. 

Now that Charles reacted this harsh on her words his stomach cramped a bit. What did that mean? Maybe Charles didn’t like him at all. It had been some hours now and they both had time enough to think about the morning. Maybe Charles wasn’t so sure anymore. But why? He’d seemed to like it, didn’t he? Did he anything wrong? Did he say or do anything Charles didn’t like? 

Erik’s thoughts ran a hundred miles per hour. Unsure he looked in Charles direction. They sat next to each other and their hands laid just inches away on the table. 

He wanted to touch Charles. To squeeze his hand and to show him that he really wanted to be his boyfriend. In all his life Erik had never felt so nervous like he did now. Carefully and really really slowly he started to glide his hand nearer. 

“Why not?”, Raven asked and made a face. “You two are perfect. He’s such a nice guy, Charly. You had enough boyfriends I could tell”, she told her brother like Erik wouldn’t be there at all. Charles shot her another look like he wanted to kill her. 

When she mentioned the boyfriends Erik took his hand back and folded them together. ‘Enough boyfriends’? What did she mean with that? Were ‘enough’ like five or were it like twenty? Fuck… To be true to himself he didn’t know anything about Charles and it made him feel miserable. 

“I’m sorry”, Charles started to excuse himself to Erik now, but he waved aside. “It’s fine. You two keep talking. I have to leave anyway. Otherwise the last train will go without me.” He stood up, took his jacket and left. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Why did you say this?”, Charles shot at Raven, when Erik had left without another word. “What will he think of me now?” “Why? What was so bad about it? It was just the truth wasn’t it?” “But didn’t you see his reaction?” Charles let his head down into his hands. “He thinks I’m a bloody slut!” 

He was really angry with his sister. Of course he loved her and he always told her that it was good to tell the truth, but sometimes she just didn’t know when to shut up. 

“Then call him and tell him you’re sorry and I talked shit and everything will be fine again, won’t it?” “No, it won’t be that easy, Raven.” He rolled away from the table. “I see you tomorrow at school.” With that he left the diner and Raven behind. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at home Charles slammed the door behind him. Fuck! 

If he could he’d like to kick everything that got in his way. He rolled straight to his bedroom and maneuvered himself out of the wheelchair and into his bed. He didn’t want to undress or anything, he just wanted to cry himself to sleep. 

How could anyone has such a bad timing like Raven did? Was that even possible? When she had asked him about Erik being his new boyfriend he just couldn’t find the right answer. ‘Yes’, his heart had been screaming and in the first moment he really wanted to say so. But wouldn’t that be a bit too fast? Maybe Erik wouldn’t like the thought of being Charles boyfriend. They realized just this morning that they liked each other - no one would speak of a boyfriend so soon. So Charles didn’t answer to Ravens question. He had wanted to, but he didn’t know how. Because maybe Erik didn’t like him so much as he did. He couldn’t like him that much. Charles was a freak. A gimp. Why would Erik like him at all? 

And maybe Erik wasn’t even sure he liked boys. He told Charles that he was bi but maybe it meant that he wasn’t sure about his likes until now? Maybe he had been just curious? And now he realized that he liked girls more than boys. Or he didn’t like boys at all. 

Charles buried his face in his hands and a silent tear escaped his eye. Fuck it… How could he be so brainless? He’d let himself fall in love with a guy he didn’t even know! 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning Charles phone beeped. He opened the message and as he had feared it was Erik who told him he wouldn’t come today. He said he wanted to do some shopping. Charles snorted. Of course - why did he even hope he would visit again? 

He went to the school and started his daily routine. Everything went fine, until Raven came, too. The air nearly vibrated between the two siblings and finally Charles packed his things up. “I have to get out of here”, he simply explained to his sister who he hadn’t said a single word to for the whole time. “Where do you go?”, she asked, worried. She really was sorry, but it was typical for Charles to not simply forgive her the next day. “Out”, he said and nearly slammed the door, when he wheeled out. 

Charles stopped at his flat shortly to switch into more comfortable clothes and took the DLR afterwards. He had decided to visit one of his favorite café’s in the heart of London. 

When he sipped his pumpkin flavored coffee some time later his nerves calmed and he reconsidered everything. Yes, he had been a fool. For believing Erik would agree of being his boyfriend just hours after their first kiss and for believing he knew him. He didn’t. Of course he knew about his life - they wrote about it over months, but he didn’t KNOW him. For example he didn’t know Erik’s favorite color or how he liked his tea or if he liked tea at all. If he really wanted to get something started with this guy he had to get to know that. If Erik wanted it, too, of course. 

He could also just start a thing with him. Just sex would be fine, but Charles was tired of ‘just sex’. He had enough men in his life he could tell. He wanted something serious, something that would last. And this couldn’t start with a quick shag. 

Well, it hasn’t started with one, he thought, a smile ghosting over his lips. 

But he would give Erik his time. He wouldn’t call or text him today and not even tomorrow. Not just because to give him time to think, too, but also to give him some time for his holidays. He was here to visit London - not just him. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he left the café the streets were crowded with people who rushed home after work. Of course the tube station was no difference and so it happened that a man stumbled over his wheelchair. He had a cup of juice in hand and it all spilled over Charles trousers. “Hey!”, he shouted after the man but he didn’t even look back. He was used to it, so he didn’t try to catch the man’s attention, but he also didn’t had to. Another guy grabbed the man by his collar. “Schweinehund! You will say sorry at least!” 

Charles eyes went wide. The guy who had just grabbed the man was no one else but Erik. First the man with the juice looked like he wanted to hit Erik, but he gave in when he saw the anger in Erik’s eyes. He turned to Charles and said: “Sorry, mate. Was in a rush. Should I give you some money for the cleaning?” “No, it’s ok”, Charles waved aside. The man nodded and Erik let go of him just then. 

He looked after the man, as if to be sure, that he was gone. Then he turned. 

“Arschloch”, he mumbled and shook his head. Charles still looked at him stunned. His plan to give Erik and him some space was destroyed. But Charles wouldn’t complain. He was just baffled, because how likely would it be to meet this one person in a crowd of thousands? 

“You ok?”, Erik asked at last and came nearer. He gave some handkerchiefs to Charles, so he could clean the worst mess on his trousers. It took Charles some more seconds to react, before he took them and started to dry the juice on his clothes. “Thanks”, he mumbled and looked up shyly. “You musn’t have done that. It happens all the time, so-” Before Charles could say anything else Erik sealed his mouth with his. The kiss was short and not even a real kiss, but it felt oh so good. He let their foreheads rest together and when he spoke, Charles could feel his breath on his lips. “But this guy has been an idiot and hasn’t said sorry.” 

The people who passed started to stare as the two of them stood there like this in the middle of the corridor. “We’re standing in the way”, Charles said after a moment. It took Erik some time, before he reacted to this. He gave Charles another light kiss on the corner of his mouth before he stepped next to him. He didn’t took hold of the wheelchair, like most people would have, he just walked next to Charles as it was the most natural thing on earth and Charles heart jumped at this more than it had during the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget: I live for comments! ;) 
> 
> And you can also tell me ideas or anything you'd like to read in the next chapters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik finally gets to see Charles' flat. :)

Erik did not only bring Charles to the DLR station he also waited with him.

 

They had been quiet during the whole time and now when the train arrived they didn’t really know what to say. “So… thanks, I suppose”, Charles said and looked up to Erik, unsure. Erik nodded. Charles had the feeling he should say something else. He was really thankful and he REALLY wanted to spend his evening with Erik. He cleared his throat nervously. “Do you…”, he cleared it again. “Do you want to… come with me? We could… order pizza or anything. I would pay for it. As a… compensation for destroying your daily plans?”

 

Erik didn’t say anything for a moment - it seemed that he weighed his options. “Ok”, he finally said. Charles could see the uncertainty in his eyes and was somehow relieved that he wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

 

The awkward silence came back when they entered the train. Both of them looked out of the window, deep in thought. “I’m sorry”, Erik finally said and Charles looked up at him, stunned. “For what?” “For leaving yesterday. That wasn’t very adult, was it?” “It’s not your fault”, Charles said and shook his head. “Raven can’t pipe down in the right moment - that’s all. But…” It seemed very hard for him to keep speaking and Erik had to admit, that he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what was coming. He listened all the same.

 

“She wasn’t false at all”, Charles said. “I had some boyfriends during my life - but… most of the time they weren’t real boyfriends. And most of the time there wasn’t anything more than kissing.”

 

A breath escaped Erik, he wasn’t aware of holding until then.

 

“Actually I had only three real boyfriends in my life. Everything else was… flirting. You know…” Charles looked everywhere but at Erik. Yes, he was relieved it was out, but what would Erik say?

 

“Five”, was his only answer and Charles looked up puzzled. “Sorry…?”

 

“I had five real girlfriends. One I nearly married, but it never came to that… And yeah, like you - flirting. Adventures for one night - I’m just a man, too.”

 

He grinned and when Charles finally started to grin too, his one became the sharkish grin again, Charles loved so much. It felt good to have said what they both really needed to get out.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When they arrived at Charles' flat he nearly dropped his keys before he managed to open the door. “Sorry for the mess”, he excused himself when Erik went in.

 

The flat wasn’t big but filled with what seemed like thousands of books. Some of them lay around. It wasn’t a real mess, more a homey environment. “You play chess?”, Erik asked when he saw the wooden game on top of some books on Charles’ living room table.

 

“I was very good when I was younger”, he replied and maneuvered himself through the room to a door which most likely let to his bedroom. “I’ll have a quick change”, he said and Erik nodded. “Please help yourself with everything. The kitchen is over there.” He pointed in the right direction. “Alright”, Erik answered and took a seat on one of the sofas.

 

His gaze wandered through the room. Next to the books there were some photos. Most of them showed Charles with his sister or with young kids in training suits. There were also some of him doing his sports himself. And a handful of pictures showed a young boy together with a big black dog whose fur sparkled a little blue.

 

Charles came back into the living room. He wore a fresh pair of trousers and a light blue shirt which fitted his eyes really nicely.

 

“You never told me, you like dogs”, Erik greeted him. “Oh”, Charles smiled. “Yeah, they’re very good friends. Especially when you need help like I did as a child who had to learn to deal with no working legs. His name was Beast”, he told Erik. “He was an excellent dog.”

 

“Why don’t you have one anymore?” Charles shrugged. “Don’t know. Maybe because I didn’t want to replace him. Do you have a pet?”

 

“No, but I used to as a child. I had two cats. Wanda and Pietro. We brought them with us from a trip to Bulgaria where they lived on the street. They still live with my mom, but they’re very old now. Wait, I got a picture on my phone.”

 

He searched for his mobile and showed said picture after a moment of search to Charles. One of the cats was colored a dark red, the other nearly silver. “They look beautiful. Can’t imagine they ever lived on the street.” “A lot of animals do in those counties. People don’t care about them because there’re too many of them.” “That’s sad. But these two were lucky”, Charles smiled and handed the phone back.

 

Then he clapped his hands and said: “Soooo, pizza. What do you like?” “Erm, just what you order - I don’t have special wishes”, Erik answered and Charles was stunned how shy this man could look.

 

“Nono”, he said therefore. “Just tell me - it’s my apology - so every special wish is welcomed.” “I really don’t have a special wish. I like every kind of pizza”, Erik insisted, smiling on Charles. “And as I said: If someone should be sorry, then it’s me.”

 

“Rubbish”, Charles said. “Ok, so Speciale is ok for you?” “Yeah, sounds good”, Erik grinned. “But I really feel like I should do something, too.”

 

“You can search for a nice movie while I do the ordering”, Charles said and suddenly threw a remote on him, Erik couldn’t tell where it came from. “In this case I don’t care which one. I love films no matter which genre.” With that he wheeled out of the room and back to the hall where the phone was.

 

Erik shook his head to himself. How did he get that lucky? Charles was such an amazing man and even after he left him like he did yesterday, he wasn’t angry at all and still wanted him as a friend. Or his friend - that was the only point Erik wasn’t sure about, but no matter which way - he was glad he hadn’t lost him at all.

 

He switched the TV on and searched for a new movie in the data base. When Charles came back to the room he asked: “What about ‘Catching Fire’? I haven’t seen it already.” “Why not - it’s not a bad one - I think I can watch it again. By the way: What do you want to drink? Wine or something without alcohol?”

 

“Wine sounds fine”, Erik answered. So more than just friendship? He looked after Charles as he went to the kitchen and nearly forgot his manners over his dreaming. “Should I give you a hand?”

 

“No, it’s fine. You’re my guest. Just start the film - I’ll be there in a minute.”

 

Erik didn’t feel good about this. Yes, he was the guest, but it seemed so difficult for Charles to maneuver through the small flat. But right then he remembered their conversation from yesterday morning and he didn’t ask again, but started the movie.

 

Charles came back some minutes later, two glasses and a bottle of red wine on his lap. He placed everything on the table and poured them both a glass.

 

They sat in (this time a comfortable) silence and watched the movie until the pizza was delivered.

 

“Box and sofa?”, Charles asked and Erik nodded. “I never eat pizza sitting on a table”, he grinned and Charles laughed. “Yeah, me too.” He put the pizza box next to their glasses and looked at Erik, interrogatory. “Is it ok, if I join you?” He sat on his wheelchair until then, Erik realized just now.

 

“Yeah, of course”, he nearly spat out. He hated himself for forgetting his manners again. “Sorry, you could have the whole time. I was just… not thinking…”

 

Charles waved it aside. “It’s alright. It’s new for you.” He started to maneuver himself on the sofa next to him and Erik was amazed by how simple it seemed to be for Charles.

 

The younger man grabbed the giant pizza box and placed it on his lap. “Enjoy your meal”, he grinned and Erik couldn’t resist to grin his sharkish grin, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo - what do you think? What will happen next to our beloved-almost-couple? Let me know! ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik speaks German. Guess why? ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Information: In my story Charles is just partly paralyzed. As you learned in the previous chapters that’s also the reason why he could do his sports at all. I also wrote, that he could just feel what happens inside of him. This information, though, is not a researched one. It’s just part of my story so it will work. The feeling-thing also includes that he can control other functions like to pee on will, etc. (That’s why he doesn’t need a catheter or anything.). I don’t know if this is possible or not, so please feel free to teach me - I’m always curious to learn new things. ^^ But I will keep it for the ongoing of the story. Just that you know and don’t wonder why why why?. ;)

„Arrrgh, wie idiotisch!“, Erik grumbled when the movie ended abruptly. Charles laughed. “What?”

 

“Oh, sorry”, the older man excused. “I always do this when I swear.” “Speak German?”, Charles guessed. “Yeah… bad habit… But it’s way easier than swearing in English.”

 

“Say something nice in German.” Blue eyes glittered in the light of the lamp they turned on when it got darker outside. “What should I say?”, Erik shrugged. “Don’t know. Anything. Just something nice.”

 

Erik looked at Charles. His cheeks were reddened by the wine and his half long hair stood funny in different directions. ‘ _I wanna kiss him_ ’, Erik thought and nearly got lost in his daydream.

 

“Come on, Erik, don’t be a faintheart.” He was rattled for a short moment, but smiled all the same. “Ok, ok”, he mumbled. “But let me think about what to say.” Charles nodded and looked like a little child who waited for his Christmas presents.

 

Erik let his gaze wander over the young man. A hundred nice things came to his mind, but it wasn’t easy to put them into words. Charles had grabbed the wine glass again and drank little sips of the dark red liquor.

 

“Ich mag deine Augen. Das Blau ist genauso intensiv wie das Blau des Himmels an einem Frühlingstag. Und wenn du lächelst, dann liebe ich die kleinen Falten, die sich um deine Augen bilden. Bei uns sagt man, wer keine Falten hat, der hat nicht gelacht im Leben.“

 

Charles took another sip. „More“, he pleaded.

 

“Der Rotwein passt ganz hervorragend zu deinen Lippen. Und weißt du was ich mir vorstelle?“ He paused. Should he say it? Charles couldn’t understand him anyway. Why shouldn’t he try?

 

“Ich stelle mir vor, dass ich der Rotwein bin. Wie ich über deine Lippen gleite und deine Kehle hinunterrinne, bis ich in dir bin.“

 

Charles eyes went wide. The blue was nearly vanished behind the black of his pupils and for a short moment Erik was afraid he understood exactly what he had said and would slap him in the face for it.

 

“Fuck”, was all the young man’s lips escaped, before he grabbed Erik’s shirt and pulled him close.

 

Erik was so shocked, he didn’t even have time to close his eyes, but it only took moments before he melted into the kiss. He took the glass from Charles’ hands and put it back on the table when he gasped for air. “I want you”, Charles whispered when he put him close again. Erik’s following kiss was answer enough.

 

When they gasped for air again, the young man asked: “What did you say, anyway? I got red wine, but what is _Kehle_?” “It’s the part I wanna kiss right now”, Erik said, voice already husky and he began to kiss Charles throat. He moaned under this harsh attack and like his hands knew exactly what to do, he started fumbling on the buttons of Erik’s shirt.

 

That’s when Erik stopped. “Don’t stop”, Charles pleaded and tried to put his lips on his throat again. “You’re sure we should do this?” “Yes, I am.” He tried to lay all of his persuasiveness in his words. He really wanted this. NOW.

 

“So bedroom, then?”, Erik asked and Charles nodded. The Germans’ gaze wandered to the wheelchair shortly. "You wanna go by yourself or would you allow me to carry you?” He sounded unsure. Charles hesitated, too. He didn’t like to be treated different and he always wanted to do everything by himself. But right now he just wanted to go to the bedroom as fast as he could and that wouldn’t be by his wheelchair. And, by the way, he wanted to trust Erik. And he wanted to show him and this was his chance to. “You can carry me”, he whispered and he could see the sparkle in Erik’s blue-green-grey eyes by the words. He kissed him shortly again, before he took him into his arms.

 

Charles knew he wasn’t a lightweight - he had a lot of muscles from training, but Erik lifted him like it would be no big deal. He carried him like a man did with his bride on wedding day and Charles looped his arms closer around his neck by this thought.

 

“Here we are”, Erik finally said, when he dropped Charles gently on the bed. Their lips were just inches apart and Charles stole a little peck from him. Erik grinned and ripped his shirt maybe a little bit too fast from his body. He helped Charles get rid of his own and when he saw his pale chest again, he started to kiss it all over. “Love your chest”, he mumbled between the kisses. “Don’t be silly”, Charles protested. “It’s disgusting.” Erik looked up at him. “You’re kidding, right?” “No I’m not. I mean, look at it: All pale and full of freckles.” He gestured to it. “Now you’re the silly one”, Erik said and started to kiss his body again. “These - _peck_ \- freckles - _peck_ \- are - _peck_ \- like - _peck_ \- stars - _peck_ \- and - _peck_ \- you - _peck_ \- are - _peck_ \- my - _peck_ \- heaven.” With his last word he looked Charles in the eyes again and said one gasped. He couldn’t see a lie in these words or anything - Erik really meant it.

 

“I love you”, he suddenly said and right in the same moment regretted it. Erik’s eyes went wide with surprise. “What?”

 

“I’m sorry”, Charles said promptly and started babbling. “I just didn’t mean… you know… just the moment…” Erik stopped him by sealing his lips with another kiss. It worked and when they parted he searched for Charles oh so blue eyes and put their foreheads together. “I love you, too”, he whispered and it sounded like a promise. And suddenly he started giggling and finally he laughed.

 

Panic rose in Charles. “What? Why are you laughing?” Was this all just a game for Erik? Was he fooling him the whole time? He got really anxious.

 

It took Erik some more moments before he could speak again. He had sat back, but now he came near again and took Charles cheek in one hand. “I feel like a teenager”, he said and chuckled again. “What do you mean?”, Charles asked suspicious. “I mean”, he came very near now, “that it’s been years since I felt like this.” When the young man still looked confused he explained: “Since I really loved someone. And since I was that nervous about someone because of it.” When the penny dropped and Charles looked stunned like a tourist in front of a pyramid, Erik smiled widely. “You… I…”, Charles started to stammer.

 

“Could we stop talking now?”, Erik asked finally and it earned him a wide grin. “Make me”, Charles teased. “I will”, Erik gave as a warning and pushed him back into the cushions.

 

They both moaned into the kisses and touches and this time Erik didn’t stop in pushing Charles’ trousers down. Charles frowned. “Erik”, he started, but Erik looked sure of what he was doing. “You said you can’t feel on the outside, right?” The younger man tried to get rid of the lump in his throat. “Yes…”, he answered unsure. “So it’s the inside then”, Erik grinned and started to lift Charles legs over his shoulders.

 

“Erik, stop!”, Charles suddenly said a bit too loud. The man immediately stopped and looked at him concerned. “What?”

 

“I… You… you just don’t have to do this. It’s very weird and I… I don’t want to scare you off…” “Why? What’s weird about it? I mean all couples-“ “No! I don’t mean that. I mean my orgasms. I told you before, it’s…” “Totally ok”, Erik finished for Charles. Charles gazed Erik like he had gone mad. Erik sighed. “Look, I don’t know about how it will be, but I can deal with it. As long as you allow me to.” “But… But what if it terrifies you? That happened before and…”, Charles started again.

 

Erik shook his head. “Ok, Charles, stop babbling.” He did and Erik sighed again. “I don’t know how it works for you, but _you_ do. So as long as you don’t tell me to stop, I know that everything is all right. Deal?”

 

Charles nodded slowly. “Deal”, he whispered. Erik nodded, too and gave him a little kiss. “We’ll go slowly and I promise you I won’t freak out. And I would never ever run away”, he smiled and finally Charles started to relax again. To be sure he had a really hard time not to cry out right there and then. Because: HOW? How could he has so much luck to meet a man like Erik? All his gentleness and the promises - it was nearly too much for him.

 

Charles’ thoughts were distracted by what Erik did next. He had lifted his legs again and the next sensation Charles could feel was a wet tongue pressing inside of him. He gasped and buried his hands in Erik’s curly hair.

 

Charles moaned when Erik did some amazing things with his tongue and he nearly jumped when he hit his special point. That didn’t stop Erik at all and he really seemed to enjoy it. All worries from yesterday evening were just blown away from Charles mind. Erik clearly hadn’t a problem with men then.

 

After a while Erik fumbled with his own trousers and took himself in hand. Charles’ moans had made him so hard he couldn’t hold back any longer. When Charles saw this, he pushed him gently away from his entrance. “No”, he gasped. “Don’t you dare.” Erik stopped in his motions and came up again to kiss Charles sloppy on the mouth. “Then what should I do?”

 

It was teasing and Charles knew it. “Don’t know”, he played the game along but grabbed one of Eriks hands anyway. He took his fore and middle finger into his mouth and sucked hard.

 

Now it was Erik’s part to moan. “Scheiße, Charles… You...ahh…you don’t know what you do to me with that…” Charles grinned smugly and kept going. After some moments Erik dragged his hand away. “Where do you have lube and condoms?”, he asked and it sounded more needy than he ever wanted to admit. “Over there”, the young man pointed to his nightstand and Erik opened the drawer to find said things.

 

When he tried to put on the condom he nearly ripped it but finally got it on himself. “Warum müssen die auch so rutschig sein?”, he swore silently to himself, before he put a good hand of lube on himself and on two of his fingers.

 

He took his old position between Charles legs and bent down to kiss his rosy nipples again. Very carefully he put one finger into the man. Charles twitched when he felt the new sensation. Erik’s finger was long and thin - very different to his own and so he reached much deeper.

 

After some moments Charles started pleading again: “More, Erik, please…”, and Erik obeyed just too willingly. He added the second finger and started to scissor Charles open. With every time he hit Charles’s prostate the younger man gasped heavily and it turned Erik on like nothing else. When he felt that his muscles were loose enough, or he hoped they would be, he exited his fingers. “Ready?”, he asked and looked down into nearly black eyes. Charles managed to nod and Erik bent down to kiss him one last time. “I so fucking want you”, he mumbled when he finally entered Charles and the sentence ended in a loud moan from both of them.

 

Slowly Erik pushed in inch by inch, always pulling back a little first before going deeper. When his loins finally hit Charles buttocks he stopped for a moment and gave them both time to relax. When he was sure everything was ok he started to move out again. Very slowly, until he was nearly the whole way out and then pressed in again.

 

It took some time, until he found a rhythm Charles seemed to enjoy. It felt different to all his former experiences. Charles couldn’t move that much, so he had to do most of the work. But Charles’ hands were there and they seemed to be everywhere at once. Erik melted in his warm palms and slowly he felt his orgasm built.

 

He changed the angle and locked Charles legs behind his back instead of holding them over his shoulders. It seemed to be the right angle, because Charles nearly screamed now, every time he pushed in again. Anyway he kept spurting Erik on: “Come on… harder… I… I need to feel you…”

 

They both panted heavily and after some more minutes Erik only saw stars. But he didn’t stop and kept pushing. Charles drank in the sight of Erik’s face while coming and it brought him over the edge as well. It started in his belly and then all of his lower part of his body started to twitch. As Erik had promised he didn’t stop, but rode him through his orgasm.

 

When Charles’ mind went clear again, there was only one word he could think of. “Wow”, was all he got out and it earned him a beautiful little laugh. “Wow, too”, Erik grinned and kissed him deeply, before pulling himself out. He stood to put the condom into the bin and came back immediately.

 

Gently he pulled up the sheets and spooned next to Charles. “I think the last train is gone anyway”, he said and they both chuckled, before they drifted away into a peaceful, deep sleep very soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo - did you like it? Let me know and tell me what you wish for coming chapters. ^^


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life goes on.

The next three days had passed faster than they both wished to and now it was time to say goodbye. Charles had insisted on escorting Erik to the airport. When it was time to check in Erik looked at Charles for a very long time.

 

“I don’t want you to leave”, Charles whispered and Erik could see a hint of tears in his eyes. “Me, too”, Erik said and kissed Charles eyelids gently. “I’ll try my best to come back as fast as I can.” “I know…”, Charles mumbled and hid his face in Erik’s neck.

 

They hugged tight and the kiss that followed was bittersweet. Now there were some tears escaping Charles eyes. “Don’t forget me”, he said and tried to smile. Erik stroked the tears away. “Don’t cry, please.” It wasn’t clearly who he meant by this, because his eyes were swimming a bit, too. “And how could I ever forget you?”

 

They kissed one last time, before Erik hurried for his flight.

 

Charles stayed the whole time until the plane had gone and it took him another few moments before he was ready to leave the airport behind.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The everyday business came back to both of them faster than they wished to. Charles started to train a new group of disabled kids and Erik had a lot to do in his factory, where they had started to produce parts for a new customer.

 

So the promised every day calls changed to promised every second day calls and so on, until they just talked to each other once a week. They both were very sad about it, but life kept them very busy.

 

Always when they talked Charles told Erik how much he missed him and how badly he wanted to kiss and touch him again. Erik once made the offer to start and try phone sex, but it went as wrong as it could went, so they didn’t keep following this idea.

 

They both longed for the next time they could visit one another, but Erik wouldn’t get another free time until next year.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

One afternoon when Erik visited his mother the old subject came up.

 

“Angela got married last month, did you know?” Erik shook his head. He didn’t have a lot contact to people from his school days and he didn’t really care. His mother didn’t seem to mind his disinterest and just kept talking. “It was necessary at least. She’s in her 6th month now - if she would have waited any longer she wouldn’t have looked very nice as a bride. But I’m very glad she found someone to build a family with.”

 

She looked at her son with a meaningful glare that screamed ‘Erik I want grandchildren myself!’ and Erik sighed. “Didn’t we talk about this, Mom?”, he asked her and tried to concentrate on his coffee.

 

“Yes, we did talk about it, but Erik! You’re not getting younger. If you ever want to build a family you should get you a girl now.” When he gave her an unnerved glance she said: “I’m just concerned of your wellbeing, son. Who will be there, when you get older? There wouldn’t be your father or me and if you don’t have someone you will be lonely.”

 

Erik pulled a face. He had someone and in the moment he wished nothing more than to tell his mother. But he couldn’t. Charles and he met just once and at least he was a man. His mother wasn’t intolerant, but she wished for grandchildren and had never knew about Erik’s bisexuality.

 

So he just snorted and let the comment be. He would tell her when their relationship would be something more than now.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It was the end of November when Erik went to a meeting with the new customers. Charles and him hadn’t called or written to each other for nearly two weeks now, but Erik didn’t even have time to think about Charles. Conclusions of contract had to be done so they won’t be in the red at the end of the year.

 

People chattered loudly when he entered the room and it took him another few moments until they realized that he was there and about to get started with his speech.

 

All in all the meeting went well and when midday came he and some of the customers went for lunch. It was until then that he noticed how nice one of the new customers was. Of course she wasn’t the head of her company, but a representation of the management, but she was very clever and by the way everything that could be described as Erik’s type.

 

She had long brown hair, kind eyes and a beautiful laugh. Magda - that was her name - and he talked a lot and after the second half of the day she asked him out for a drink.

 

Erik agreed, completely not thinking about Charles and they went to a little bar.

 

It was easy talking and Magda told him about her mother who dearly wanted her to get a man and about her cats and her love for cooking. Erik, who had liked her since her very first smile for him also told her about his life, his work, and his mother’s cats. He mentioned Charles with no word. Maybe rude, but he didn’t came up to his mind at all.

 

All he could think about was how nice Magda was, very kind, very lovely, very everything his mother and also him had always thought of as the perfect match for him.

 

So one thing led to another and finally he invited her to her mother’s sixtieth birthday the other week.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Of course and as expected Magda was the perfect to-be-wife. His mother loved her from the first moment and also his father seemed to be pleased for at least once.

 

It was a happy day with a lot of happy chatter and when Erik drove Magda home she asked him to come in for some coffee.

 

The weeks flew past and Christmas was coming nearer and nearer. And truth to be told: Erik totally forgot about Charles. Sometimes he thought about him, but then he thought of him being so far away in England and of being a man and also of him being disabled. Not that this was something bad, but he wasn’t what his mother wanted for him and to be true until last summer it also hadn’t been what he wanted. He’d always wanted a normal life with a normal wife and normal every day’s work. Maybe boring, but enough for him.

 

And so he didn’t call Charles anymore and didn’t answer to his messages. What should he have written to him? That he had gotten on in his life and that Charles was just a summer-love left behind? He hadn’t the strength to do that.

 

Because Charles was Charles. He was soft and he would be much wounded. He would understand it wrong. Would think that he didn’t like him because of the false reasons. He did like him, but Charles was not, what he had planned for his life.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

After several month of being a couple Erik and Magda decided to move together. Their work wasn’t far away from each other so it wasn’t a problem for them. They bought another cat, so they had three of them running through their flat and keeping them busy. All in all they lived what one would call a normal life and when spring came Erik had forgotten about Charles completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sooooorryyyy! I really didn’t like to write that but it had to be. The next chapter won’t be much better, but as I warned in the beginning: a lot of drama and so here you have it… 
> 
> Hope you stay by and keep reading - it will get better and end nicely - I promise! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another heartbreaking chapter - but as I said before: It'll get better - I promise. :)

It was one of Charles’ most terrible Christmases ever. He didn’t like Christmas much at all but he had hoped for anything from Erik. Not a present, but only a nice letter or a call. But nothing came. He wrote to him several times and tried to call, but never reached him. It drove him mad and made him so sad, that he wouldn’t go out for a whole week.

 

When the new year was some days old Raven visited him. The holidays were nearly over and Charles would have to go back to work. They had a new group of kids and they needed him in top form - not in a mood of self-pity.

 

“He won’t answer”, he told Raven now that they sat together with some tea. “He doesn’t answer his phone and he doesn’t read his mails. I don’t know what to do…”

 

“Why do you think he doesn’t answer you? Has he told anything that could explain his behavior?”

 

“No. At least I think so. I don’t know…”, was Charles inadequate answer. “And now?”, his sister asked. “Now you want to sit here and stop living your live or what? You’re too young for that, Charles.”

 

He sighed. “I know, but… You’ve said yourself that he was the perfect man…” “Maybe he isn’t so perfect at all. I’m sure there are more men like him outside, Charles. Don’t stop trying.” Charles nodded and tried to give her a brave smile that looked more like a grotesque face.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In the following weeks Charles tried to concentrate on his work and to give the best for his kids. They deserved his full attention. But as much as he tried, Erik wouldn’t leave his mind for longer than some hours. Every time he had some time alone, some time to think, he haunted him and pushed Charles back into his misery.

 

In the week before Easter Raven had enough. “Charles”, she entered his office, after the last children had left the training. “What is it? Is it still about this Erik?” She looked concerned and Charles knew that she just wanted him to get back to normal and to be happy again.

 

“I can’t forget him, Raven”, he said to his sister and let his head sink onto his arms on the desk he sat behind. “I know”, she said and Charles looked up surprised.

 

“In one week the kids have holidays, Charles. Most of them will be away and I think I can manage the view that’ll come to training.” She stepped nearer and handed him an envelope. “Here”, she said and Charles took it, looking suspicious. “What’s that?”, he asked.

 

“Just open it”, she said and he did. There were two tickets inside it. One was for a flight to Germany and one back a few days later. “What? Raven! Why…”

 

“Because you won’t forget him. I know you, Charles - you’re my brother. I’ve never seen you longing for a guy as long as for Erik and even now that you haven’t heard of him for nearly half a year you won’t stop thinking of him. I can’t let you be sad for the rest of your life. So I bought the tickets.”

 

“And you really can handle the school alone?”, he asked, a look of surprise still on his face. “Yeah, I can. Just go home and pack your things - you’re flight’s going tomorrow night.”

 

Charles rolled around the desk and hugged Raven. “Thank you”, he said and he meant it with all his heart.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Raven brought him to the airport the next evening. It hadn’t been easy for her to get the tickets. Not every plane carried people with wheelchairs, but somehow she had managed.

 

Charles hugged her goodbye. “You’re the best sister one could have.” “I know”, she winked and gave him a peck on his cheek.

 

He went for the entrance and before he was in the area that was just for passengers Raven called: “And don’t come back without good news!”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The flight didn’t take very long - in Charles’ opinion much too short.

 

He took the tube into the city where Raven had also looked up a good hotel for him. The staff was very nice and they helped him with his bag and everything he needed.

 

When Charles sat in his room he sighed deeply. Tomorrow he would go to Erik’s company. He didn’t know where he lived so he had looked up the address from his factory. Just by the thought of seeing him again his heart hammered like it wanted to break through his ribs. And how would Erik react? Had he been just too busy to write to Charles or had something happened? By the thought of that Charles’ stomach cramped. He dearly hoped it would be another reason.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When Charles stood in the entry of the company he wished that he wouldn’t have hoped for another reason. His mouth was dry like he had eaten sand and his eyes began to water.

 

After looking a good two hours for the company he had asked the staff at the entry if she could send Erik to him. The girl had been very nice and kind with long red hair and a sympathetic smile.

 

He had waited patiently and had painted the scene of Erik meeting him again in his head over and over again. But now that he saw him coming down the stairs, following the red haired girl with a woman, holding on to his arm, he felt his heart break into a thousand little pieces. When they entered the entrance hall Erik froze in his motion and stared at Charles.

 

A silent tear was running down Charles’ face when he stared back at the obvious couple in front of him. The girl came over to him but he didn’t listen to what she was saying. Something about that they had a meeting in half an hour and not much time. It didn’t matter to him.

 

“Sorry”, he mumbled and started to roll away with his wheelchair. He wheeled away with an enormous speed that seemed to come from his anger.

 

How could he’d been so stupid?! Erik hadn’t called him or wrote to him because he had gotten on in life. He had a girlfriend - obviously - and god knows maybe they were already married. Tears ran freely down Charles face now, when he got back to the tube station.

 

When he passed a big street he shortly thought of rolling onto it while the cars had green light, but that would have been even more stupid, so he just kept heading for the station.

 

The people around him looked at him suspicious, some seemed to be concerned, but no one would talk to him.

 

When the tube came and he was ready to get into it, a hand grabbed his shoulder and held him back. His heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Erik… He turned around and the letdown couldn’t have been bigger. A young man was smiling down at him. “Brauchen Sie vielleicht Hilfe beim Einsteigen?”, he asked friendly. „Sorry, I don’t speak German“, Charles said and the young man nodded. „Ah, all right. Do you need help getting in the tube?” “Oh, that’ll be nice. Thanks.” They got in and the tube closed its doors. “Is everything all right, Mr.?”, the man asked Charles. “Not really but nothing to be concerned of”, he said and tried to smile.

 

The young man, nearly still a boy searched for something in his bag and pulled a handkerchief out. “Here”, he gave it to Charles. “Thank you”, Charles said and took it to wipe his tears away.

 

“Where do you have to leave the train? Maybe I could help you again.” Charles told him the station and it was the same one the boy had to get out, too. He was stunned about the kindness of the guy and he told him so.

 

“I don’t want to be impolite, but you look like you could need someone right now”, the boy said and gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m Kurt, by the way. Kurt Wagner.”

 

Charles introduced himself, too. They talked a bit and when they left the tube Kurt suggested to sit down at a little café. Charles was thankful for the distraction and so they sat there and talked like they had known each other for some time now.

 

Kurt was a very nice and friendly boy. He studied at the University of Berlin and wanted to become a physicist one day. He was excited about Charles’s school and wanted to know a lot about the sports done there. Charles gave him the address of their homepage with pictures and videos on it and said if Kurt would ever come to London he could visit them.

 

They parted after two hours - Kurt had another lecture, but he made sure that Charles was back in his hotel safe and sound. The kindness of the boy touched him, but right in the moment when he left, the old heartache came back.

 

Erik’s face, when he’d seen him standing there in the entry hall. The woman next to him looking confused about the situation.

 

Charles cried himself to sleep silently in his hotel bed and he dearly wished to fly home as soon as possible.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik's an idiot but a lovely one and he has pretty cool teenage friends. :)

“How could you?!”, Magda screamed at Erik when he had explained everything to her. He had canceled the meeting in the afternoon and now they were at home. “I’m sorry, Magda, I didn’t want to hurt you or anything, I-“ “Hurt ME?”, she cut him off. “You think I’m angry because you lied to ME?” He nodded bewildered.

 

She sighed heavily and sat down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table, too. She took her head between her hands for a moment before she continued talking. “All right. Then you’re more of a fool I thought you were, Erik.”

 

Her words seemed to hurt him, but he didn’t dare say anything, because it was obvious she hadn’t finished yet. “You left him. With nothing. No information, not even a last mail.”

 

Erik looked somewhat shocked. “I left for you…”

 

“And you’ll leave me like this, too, when you’ve had enough?” Magda was very angry at the moment and it should be clear that she wasn’t going to forgive him anytime soon. But it angered Erik, too and now it was him screaming: “So what should I do now? What do you wanna hear? Should I tell you that I’ll never leave you or do you want me to go back to him? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?”

 

In his anger he had stood up and towered over her. She flinched back and whispered: “You frighten me, Erik. Just go, please.”

 

He kept his position for some more time, breathing hard, before he turned abruptly and stormed out of the kitchen. He took his keys and a jacket and threw the door close behind himself without another word.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

He wandered around the town for several hours before he went to his favorite bar. It was still early and so there were just a few people. He didn’t knew the bartender who poured him the drinks. He didn’t realize what people came in or went out, he just drank one shot after another. So he nearly jumped when someone talked to him. “Hell, you look like shit, man.” When Erik looked up he could see Peter. The silver haired boy was the bartender who poured the drinks in the evening hours. They had befriended some years ago. Peter was still very young. He studied and worked as a bartender in the evening to pay his rent. His parents lived in Poland and hadn’t a lot of money so he had to manage all by his own. Round about three years ago Peter had a little job at his company to pull through. Despite their age difference they understood each other very well and somehow Erik felt responsible for the wellbeing of Peter.

 

“Had a hell of a day”, he said to Peter now and gulped down another shot. “What happened?”, the boy asked him and looked really concerned. Erik hesitated. Normally they didn’t talk about relationships. It didn’t feel right when he could nearly be his son. “I messed up my whole life in one blink of an eye, I think…” “And now you try to drown yourself in alcohol?”

 

He looked down at the mess of glasses that sat before him. “Seems so…” “You’re very self-pitying.” Erik didn’t reply to that. Peter was right, but what should he do instead? His friend sighed. “Ok, dude, you’ll stop drinking now. I give you one other beer and that’s all. And when I finished my shift you’ll come with me.” Erik looked at him like Peter had gone mad. “You’ve just got one bed.” “My roommate and I have bought a sofa two weeks ago”, he explained. “AND: I’m sure Magda won’t let you come home like this and although I don’t know what happened, I’m sure she doesn’t want you to come home. And you have to stay anywhere.”

 

‘When did he become an adult?’, Erik wondered, but didn’t try to stop Peter from his plan. At least he was right.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Peter gave them a drive home on his moped. It was very late already but most of the students were still awake, partying or some, like Peter’s roommate, studying.

 

“Hey Kurt”, the silver haired boy greeted him, when they entered. “You still learning?” “I waited for you”, Kurt said and frowned a bit when he saw Erik. He walked to the door and gave Peter a light peck on the lips, before he offered a hand to Erik. “Hi Erik. Peter didn’t tell me he would bring a friend.” He sounded very polite and friendly, but Erik could hear his undertone.

 

“Please, have a seat”, Peter said to Erik and tried to enlighten the mood. “I’ll make us some coffee. You give me a hand, Kurt?” The raven haired boy nodded and followed Peter to the kitchen, while Erik sat on the couch in the living room the boys shared. He could hear them talking in the kitchen.

 

“Why is he here?”, Kurt wanted to know and sounded a bit pissed. “Because he needs a friend in the moment. We hadn’t time to talk yet, but I think he had trouble with his girl.” “Hasn’t he other friends than you?” “Kurt please… He’ll just stay for tonight.” “I’ve waited the whole day to see you and now… argh… If I didn’t love you as much as I do, I’d go to this party right now and get me another guy.” “But you love me”, Peter giggled and Erik could hear some obvious sounds after that.

 

Peter came to the living room when the coffee was ready and sat down next to Erik.

 

“So you’re a couple now?”, Erik asked him, although it was totally obvious. “Yeah”, Peter smiled and poured them some of the hot coffee. “Actually nearly one year now.” “So nearly the half time since you moved in together?” “Yep”, the boy said happily. “We were mad for each other since the day we first met, but it took us some time to find out about the feelings of the other.”

 

A moment of silence. “But let’s not talk about me. What about you, Erik? What happened? I know love is not our usual topic, but - man… it must be very bad, cause I’ve never seen you like that…”

 

Erik sighed but told Peter everything from the beginning. The boy’s eyes widened when he told him about being bi. “You are? Dude… Never guessed that…” He didn’t interrupt him again and listened carefully till the end of the story. “Wow…”, he finally mumbled. “That sounds like… well shit. You have any idea what you wanna do?”

 

Erik shook his head.

 

“Mh. So there’s only one really important question: Who do you really love?” Erik looked stunned about this. He’d seen only all the problems, all the following discussions but over all this he totally forgot to think about his feelings.

 

He thought back when Charles stood there in the entry hall today. With his wheelchair, his messy brown hair, his blue blue eyes that had looked so sad when he’d seen him and Magda. He’d come to Germany. After all the time Erik hadn’t answered any call or mail, Charles had come to him, still believing in a chance for the both of them.

 

He was such an asshole. Magda was right. He was a very bad person and he couldn’t hurt him - or her - more than he had done.

 

“I don’t know”, he finally answered and looked up at Peter. “It’s… it’s complicated… I mean… I loved Charles. At least I think I loved him back then in England. He was… he is… perfect. He’s soft and so talented. He’s really strong - not just physical but mental. He has a beautiful laugh.” While describing him a faint smile ghosted over Erik’s lips. “And Magda?”, Peter asked. “I love her, too. She’s… the perfect wife. She’s loving and caring. She’s clever and can deal easily with everyone. She doesn’t let herself be dominated by any dull business men.” Peter watched Erik’s face very closely while he talked about the two of them.

 

“You don’t really love her”, he finally said and Erik looked at him shocked and a bit angry. “What?” Peter shrugged. “Don’t misunderstand me. You love her, yes, but you love her differently, I think. More like a sister. Like someone you can live till the rest of your life. You could be happy with her, have a family. You would never really have any problems… But man… It would be a totally boring life!”

 

“But what future would Charles and I have? We can’t have children, he lives in England, my mother doesn’t even know I’m bi…”

 

“So where’s the problem?” Erik paused and looked stunned. Peter was right. Where was his problem? They were still young. He could move. At last his job wasn’t even his dream job, was it? And he could tell his mother - he should do. She was the kindest person he knew - she loved him and she would surely understand. And own children… it has always been his dream but on the other hand there were so many children without caring parents…

 

Finally he sighed. “But he won’t take me back.” Peter thought about this. “I don’t think so. At least he’ll give you a chance to explain. And you should do this at least, even if he’ll never forgive you. Do you know at which hotel he is?”

 

Erik shook his head again. “No… I don’t know a fuckin’ thing about Charles at all.” A little hint of tears made his eyes glisten. He really wanted to apologize but how should he do this if he didn’t know where Charles was?

 

“Charles?” Kurt’s raven hair popped into sight from behind the door. He’d gone to the kitchen to make himself a little snack and so he had heard the last part of their conversation.

 

“I met a guy today who’s name’s Charles.” Both men’s gazes shot to the boy. “I met him at the tube. He was pretty much confused and looked as he needed someone. I had a coffee with him.”

 

“Do you know where his hotel is?” Erik nearly screamed, jumped up and was nearly standing in Kurt in one motion. The boy flinched back. “Woah, man… easy. I brought him there. Didn’t want him to kill himself or do any other stupid things.”

 

“You’ll have to bring me there or give me the address, I-“, Peter cut him off. “YOU, Erik Lehnsherr, have to sleep now. It’s fuckin three in the morning - no one’ll open you the damn hotel lobby.”

 

Erik pulled a face. “Yes, ok. You’re right…" Peter patted his back: "I’ll drive you to this hotel tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo - here we are - at least Erik realizes that he’s an idiot. ^^ 
> 
> Aaaaand - I HAD to do it. I mean Peter and Kurt MUST be together. They’re perfect and I really adore this paring. <3 
> 
> And before you ask: I know, I named the cats of Erik’s mother Wanda and Pietro, but until then I didn’t knew I would need him as a human, too. So this is Peter now, not Pietro - in this fic not the same person. Sorry… -.- But I HAD to write about him and Kurt. ^^ 
> 
> And by the way I updated the tags.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik finally talks with Charles.

At last Erik had slept in Peter’s bed because the boys had stayed in Kurt’s room. Erik had been thankful that they hadn’t done anything more than sleeping or at least had been so quiet so he hadn’t heard anything.

 

When he woke up he could smell bacon, eggs and coffee and he asked himself how someone could be so nice to someone like him. Who had messed up the life of two people who had always been just good and kind to him.

 

“Morning, princess”, Kurt greeted him when he entered the little kitchen. “Had a good night?” He nodded and thanked the boy that he could stay at theirs. “It’s alright”, Kurt said to his amazement. “Silver explained everything to me after you went to bed.”

 

“Silver?”, Erik asked and quirked an eyebrow. “That’s what I call him sometimes”, he smiled and pointed to his own hair to explain what he meant.

 

The two of them sat down on the little kitchen table. “Is Peter still asleep?” Kurt nodded. “Yes. I always let him sleep longer - he has to work until night, so that’s just fair then. And you don’t wanna have him around when he hadn’t enough sleep by the way”, he grinned and took another bite of his toast.

 

They ate in silence for a while, before Kurt said: “Why did you leave Charles?” Erik nearly choked on his bacon. “I don’t know”, he harrumphed. “He’s a really sweet guy. And I think he really needs someone. He's not one to be alone as far as I can tell by meeting him just once”, Kurt said and Erik didn’t answer to that, just thought about it. And he had to say, that it sounded like the truth.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

One hour later Peter got up and drove Erik to the hotel as promised. Before he went away he said: “Please, Erik, even if he doesn’t want you back - talk to him. That’s the least you can do. And talk to Magda, too.” Erik answered he would do that and Peter left to get to his lecture in time.

 

Erik gulped hard before he entered the hotel lobby and asked for Charles’ room. The woman at the reception told him that she wasn’t allowed to give room numbers to other persons, but she could call him and tell him that someone wanted to see him.

 

She asked Erik to have a seat on the round sofa in the lobby while he waited. His heart hammered while he waited for Charles to come down.

 

When the lift finally arrived and the doors opened Charles froze by the sight of Erik. He already pressed the button to go up again, when Erik jumped between the lift’s doors. “Charles, I’m sorry. Please - just let me explain everything…” Charles eyes glistened with anger. “And why should I listen to you?” “Because I’m really sorry and it’s all-“ “Not what it looks like?”, Charles guessed. He looked really furious and Erik tried to swallow the lump in his throat again.

 

“No… It’s everything what it looks like. I’m an idiot, Charles and there’s nothing that could excuse what I did. But I’m sorry and I really hope you can forgive me someday.” Charles looked like he would way his options and finally said: “Let’s not discuss this here.” He wheeled back into the lift completely and Erik got in with him. He was more than relieved that Charles would listen to him at last. They went to Charles’ room and Erik sat down on the small table that was in it. Charles sat in front of him and waited for his explanation.

 

Erik told him about what happened since they’d called for the last time. “But you could have simply told me about it, Erik”, Charles finally said and sounded wounded. “But how, Charles? I didn’t want to hurt you. And to be true I just wanted to forget about you…” “Didn’t our relationship mean anything to you then?” “No! It meant…” Erik sighed. “It meant too much to me, to be true…” “But why did you stop calling me then? I really don’t understand you, Erik.”

 

It was really hard for him to explain this to Charles. It was even too hard to explain it to himself… “Because I love Magda, too. She’s everything my mom always wished for me to have. Everything **I** always wished for me to have. And you are…” “A freak?”, Charles ended his sentence. “A creep, a weirdo, a fuckin’ disabled person? A man?” His eyes had filled with tears and it nearly caused Erik to cry, too.

 

“No, Charles, no you’re… you’re the one who I really love. The first person I ever really loved. The ONLY person, I ever loved.”

 

“Why should I believe you?”, Charles asked suspiciously. “Because… If you could just read my mind… You would know it. Charles… I really do love you. And I was a bloody fool to stop calling you. A fool to believe I could forget about my feelings for you. They all came back when you stood in front of me yesterday. And just then I realized how much you really mean to me.”

 

Charles let the words sink into his mind. Could he believe Erik? Did he want to believe him? “But what about Magda then?”

 

“She’s…” Erik sighed. “I don’t know, Charles. She’s everything I ever wanted, but you… you’re what I needed. What I still need.”

 

Charles didn’t reply for a long moment and Erik was afraid he wouldn’t give him any answer at all, but then the younger man looked up at him again. “And now? What will you do? What will you tell HER?”

 

“I don’t know. I’m afraid she won’t listen.”

 

“Rubbish”, Charles interrupted him. “I listened, too, didn’t I? And if she loves you just half as much as I do, she’ll listen. But the question is for how long and that depends on what you’ll tell her.”

 

Erik chewed on his lips while thinking. “What would you tell her?” Charles sighed. “The truth? I mean, if there’s a truth you can tell.” “What do you mean?” “I mean, this just makes sense, if you want me back and want to quit with her.”

 

There wasn’t a pushing sound behind these words. It was just the truth. It was on Erik now to decide which way he wanted to take. Should he choose the simple way with Magda and live a happy live with her, but keep on wondering if his life could have been happier with Charles? Or should he just quit with Magda, move to London and build a new life with this man?

 

Charles must have seen his uncertainty, because he said: “I can’t guarantee you that we’ll live happy until the end of our days. Life’s not a fairytale, even if I wished it was.” Erik nodded. “I know…” Suddenly after some more minutes of silence he looked like he had made a decision. “But I don’t care if it’s a fairytale. To be true I have never been a real fan of fairytales at all.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

They kept on talking for a while before they took the tube to Erik’s place. Erik was so fucking nervous and Charles seemed to be uneasy, too. While on their way they didn’t talk or hold hands at all - the thoughts over everything that had happened still lingered in their minds and stopped them from doing so. But they walked or wheeled next to each other and that gave Erik a strange kind of strength.

 

When they arrived at Erik’s and Magda’s flat Erik cleared his throat, before he opened the door. Everything seemed to be quiet in the flat. “Magda?”, he asked into the empty hall and waited for an answer.

 

No reply followed, so he went completely inside and looked into every room. Magda wasn’t there. After a while of searching Charles said: “She left a letter for you.” He gave the letter he found on the kitchen table to Erik. The older man’s hands shook lightly when he opened the letter. He just hoped she wouldn’t have done anything stupid.

 

 

_Erik,_

_I thought about our life yesterday. We had a very happy time the past half year and I thought I had found the perfect man in you. But when had life ever been perfect? Maybe it all had been a bit fast between us - that refers to moving together after just some months and also on our plans for life._

_Yesterday, when this young man came into the company I looked at your face and I could see something on it, I have never seen before. You were excited. In a positive way. And also when you told me about him later - this expression never left your face. I don’t want to say that you never really loved me - you did. But it was never something exciting for you. In the short time we were together there never happened something unexpected. Everything seemed to be clear. I don’t want to use this word, but to be true our life has been boring. Happy yes, but boring. And I think that a boring life is not what we both want, do we?_

_I hope I don’t hurt you with that Erik, but I quit with you. I think there’s more for you out there and more for me, too. We could have lived a happy-family-life, but I’m sure there’s something more exciting waiting for us both. Hopefully this more exciting will be together with Charles for you._

_I packed my things this morning and took the train to my sister to stay at hers for some time. I brought the cats to your mother. I told her nothing, just that we both can’t look after them for a while. Please tell her the truth when you visit her - she deserves to know who her son is. And I’m sure she’ll understand. She loves you, Erik and so do I._

_Please have a happy life. And don’t worry about the flat - we’ll manage this in a view weeks when we both know what we want to do._

_Until then,_

_Magda_

When Erik had finished reading the letter, some tears were escaping his eyes. Charles put a hand on his arm concerned. “Is everything all right?” After a moment Erik nodded. “Yes… She…” He didn’t know how to explain and so he handed the letter to Charles.

 

The young men took the letter and read. “Wow”, he said, when he had finished. “She’s a very great person.” Erik wiped away the tears from his face before he finally said: “Yeah, she is.”

 

“You should have chosen her”, Charles said to that and Erik’s head shot around to look at him. “What?” He sounded shocked and completely surprised. Charles laughed. “She’s a much better person than me. I mean, I would have never let you go to be happy. I’m much too selfish for that.” He grinned and finally Erik smiled, too.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

With this first hurdle done Erik felt much lighter than he had this morning. Now they were thinking about what they should do next. It was clear for Erik - he didn’t want to part from Charles now that they had just came back together. But Charles would only stay for four more days, before he had to fly back to England.

 

“I could ask if I can take some time off at work”, Erik suggested and so he called his company to ask for it. After some discussions with his colleagues and his boss he was allowed to take five weeks of holiday. He hadn’t taken any free time this year anyway and so it wasn’t much of a discussion.

 

After that Charles and he booked a seat for him, too, to fly back to England on the same plane. The only thing that needed to be done now, was talking to Erik’s mother.

 

“I can’t do it”, Erik told Charles and sighed. “Not now… She won’t accept it right now. I mean she has looked up registry offices just the other week.” They decided to wait until everything would have become clearer and until Erik would have managed everything with Magda and the flat. Until then Erik would tell his mother that he was going to England for some weeks because of the job.

 

It was a lie, but they both thought it would be the best for the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry it took me so long to update the story… But I really had a lot to do and I really didn’t know how to continue the story for some time. Hope you like it anyway - and yeah - better times are coming for Charles and Erik. <3


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